The group is alleged to have rigged at least 40 contracts for electrical and maintenance work at UTSA facilities by using fake businesses created by the contractors to make it seem like there were competitors. In the process, bids were inflated, causing UTSA to pay more than necessary.

Council had worked for UTSA since 1997 but was fired in November 2012 from his $60,000-a-year job amid the investigation.

In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News last year, Council said he got less than $10,000 in bribes. He blamed the contractors for devising the scheme after approaching him during a messy custody battle and other personal family issues.

“I was in a very bad place and got caught up with some bad people that offered me a way out,” Council said. “Basically, there was some cash exchanges that occurred that helped me finance the custody battle.”

Council's plea documents said the contractors used three entities — Power Source Electric, owned by Gonzalez, and Vista Contracting and GNZ Enterprise LLC — when submitting. Vista and GNZ were sham companies, the court papers said.

An FBI affidavit said a UTSA audit found Council worked under the radar by taking advantage of loopholes in contracting rules at UTSA, where only projects greater than $25,000 require a formal, sealed bid process.

“I wish I could undo everything,” Council said last year. “I did wrong and I'm going to have to pay for it.”

He is expected to formally enter his plea later, and he faces up to 10 years in prison.